In looking at the prior art starting with U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,055 to Bryman disclosed is an integrated smoking device for smoking material comprising: a housing, a bowl, with the bowl contained within the housing; the bowl further comprising a top part and a bottom part, the top part being approximately circular, and the bottom part being circular. The bowl in Bryman having the top part being larger in area than the bottom part, wherein the top part is generally parallel to the bottom part and the center of the top part is approximately centered over the bottom part, and bowl walls connecting the top part and the bottom part. Thus in Bryman the top part and the bottom part are fully contained within the housing wherein the bowl further comprises a first bowl aperture, a second bowl aperture, and a third bowl aperture; and a first tube, a second tube, and a third tube. In Bryman the first tube, the second tube, and the third tube are all substantially contained within the housing, wherein the bowl further comprises a movable cover associated with the housing for opening and closing over the top part of the bowl. In Bryman, a third tube is for transporting smoke from the ignited smoking material; the third tube is mechanically connected to the third bowl aperture to a user; further, a gas source substantially contained within the housing is connected to a second tube, the second tube is connected to the second bowl aperture; and a gas source, with the gas source substantially contained within the housing. Also in Bryman, a spark source is disclosed with the spark source substantially contained within the bowl, the spark source capable of emitting a spark, such that the spark source is capable of igniting the gas source and the spark source is mechanically connected to the first bowl aperture by the first tube. Wherein, when the switch is depressed in Bryman the gas flows from the gas source and the gas is ignited by the spark source, so that the smoking material ignites and the smoke emitted from the smoking material may be drawn through the third tube by the user. Note that Bryman does not teach any unique bowl configuration with an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior, as Bryman is essentially a combination standard pipe with an integral lighter assembly.
Continuing in the prior art, being similar to Bryman, is U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,685 to Jones that discloses a smoking pipe comprising an elongated body with a bowl cavity formed on one end in which a bowl assembly is disposed. Further in Jones located inside the elongated body is a gas lighter with an activation switch and flame opening located on one end. The lighter in Jones is positioned in the elongated body so that the flame opening is located adjacent to the upper bowl on the bowl assembly and its activation switch is near the lower neck section. Formed over the bowl in Jones are air openings which allow outside air to enter the bowl and pivotally attached to the neck section on the bowl assembly is an elongated mouthpiece. The mouthpiece in Jones includes a wide head and a narrow arm component with a longitudinally aligned conduit formed therein that communicates with an air passageway formed on the bow assembly, wherein a cam surface is formed on the head which presses against a plunger arm when the mouthpiece is rotated to a perpendicularly aligned position on the elongated body, and when the plunger arm is pressed against the activation switch on the lighter a flame in created that extends into the bowl, automatically igniting the smoking material. The mouthpiece in Jones allows smoke to be drawn when it is in the perpendicular state and when the mouthpiece is placed in a closed or non-perpendicular state, smoke cannot be drawn therethrough the mouthpiece. Note that in Jones as in Bryman also, neither does not teach any unique bowl configuration with an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior, as Jones is essentially a combination pipe having an integral lighter assembly similar to Bryman.
Further, in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 7,658,197 to Villagomez disclosed is a smoking pipe having a cleaning valve that includes a pipe body with an internal bore. A combustion chamber in Villagomez is communicably connected with the bore, with a cleaning valve being mounted adjustably within the bore. The valve in Villagomez includes a longitudinal channel and the valve alternates between a first position state, see FIGS. 1-6, wherein the channel is communicably interconnected to an orifice in a mouthpiece of the pipe and the combustion chamber and a second position state wherein the channel is fully exposed so that it may be quickly and completely cleaned, see FIG. 12. Note that in Jones, Bryman, and Villagomez all of which do not teach any unique bowl configuration with an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior, as Villagomez is essentially a rotating inner channel that can be exposed for cleaning.
Next, in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,935 to Heine disclosed is a tobacco storage and smoking apparatus that includes a housing having a first chamber which receives smoking materials such as tobacco and is covered by a cover including a bowl recess with a side passageway extending from the bowl recess to one end of the cover. The housing in Heine has a second chamber on an opposite side of the housing from the first chamber removably containing a stem having a through passageway and intended to be assembled to the cover to create a smoking pipe. The second chamber in Heine is downwardly open and may be closed by a further cover and if desired, the second chamber may contain a spring recess partially receiving a coil spring which biases the stem toward a direction of removal from the second chamber. Further, in Jones, Bryman, Villagomez, and Heine all of which do not teach any unique bowl configuration with an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior, as Heine is essentially a sliding cover with a storage chamber 13, see FIG. 5, for moving the tobacco into the bowl 21, however, there being no teaching in Heine that shows use of the housing 11 as a bowl 21 cover for controlling air flow to the bowl.
Moving onward in the prior art, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,590 to Singh disclosed is a pipe comprising: a body member means including a smoke drawing passageway; a mouthpiece connected to the smoke drawing passageway; a storage compartment adjacent the smoke drawing passageway; and a filler opening leading from the storage compartment; and tobacco burning means including a slide member having a means for sliding exclusively in a rectalinear fashion. The tobacco burning means in Singh having a bowl in a slidable engagement with the body member means; and a plurality of position indicators on the slide member; wherein the bowl is slidably positionable to access the smoke drawing passageway and the filler opening from the storage compartment. Thus, Singh teaches integral tobacco storage with the pipe as does Heine, with Singh having the added feature of a vented bowl cover 49, see FIGS. 2 and 3, for retaining the tobacco in the bowl 11, wherein the smoke in drawn through passage 13. There is no teaching in Singh of an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior.
Next in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,972 to Furlow discloses is a pipe having an internal storage chamber formed from a single block of wood, wherein a sliding peg located in the passageway allows the feeding of tobacco into the bowl and modulating the air mixture for cooler smoking. Looking at Furlow in FIGS. 5 and 7, the tobacco storage 9 connects to the bowl 2 through channel 10, with passageway 3 allowing smoke to be drawn for the user. The peg 15 in Furlow facilitates added air flow to the bowl 2 as between the storage 9 and the channel 6, however this being of minimal effect as the opening at the top of the bowl 2 being much larger in diameter and shorter in length would overwhelmingly predominate the air flow to the bowl 2. In Furlow the intersection of the passageway (stem hole) 3 and the bowl 2 bottom 4 is taught as “forming a direct passage to the bottom 4 of the bowl 2, see column 2, lines 1-7, thus no structural specifics are taught in Furlow of an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior.
Continuing, in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,687 to Sandeen disclosed is a combination pipe and lighter having a mouthpiece that is swingable from an operative position to an inoperative position in which a supply of smoking material can be selectively placed directly into the smoking bowl, with the lighter adjacent to the bowl, also having a hinged cover to snuff out the lighter while allowing ventilated air to the bowl much like Singh with a ventilated bowl cover. The storage of smoking product in Sandeen is in chamber 13 in the cover that feeds downward into the bowl. Thus, no structural specifics are taught in Sandeen of an elevated ridge or a plurality of smoke passageways for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior.
Next, in the prior art in U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,135 to Herman disclosed is a smoking apparatus having differing volumes of available bowl capacity that is accomplished through various size bowl inserts, further a cleaning access is provided in the bottom of the bowl, with an added chamber for smoking material storage, and a pivoting bowl cover to selectively control air flow to the bowl. Although Herman teaches a plurality of openings 32 emanating from the bowl, there is no teaching of an elevated ridge providing for omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior with an air gap disposed underneath a screen, especially as Herman has no screen.
What is need is a smoker's pipe apparatus that accommodates free and open omnidirectional smoking material burning in the bowl interior, easy access storage chambers for smoking material, screens, cleaners, and a removable tool that serves both the function of bowl cover and bowl wind guard for lighting the pipe in a windy environment, and in addition a tool extension for cleaning, accessing storage compartments, and stifling tobacco. Further needed in the smoker's pipe apparatus is a bowl bottom specifically designed to keep a screen from conforming to the shape of the bottom of the bowl and allow air to pull downward through the entire bottom area of the screen for a more even burn and smoother air flow, wherein an air space open chamber is formed below the screen to prevent “hot spots” of smoking material to burn while other portions of the bowl smoking material do not burn well or at all.